Most of the recent news surrounding LOONA has been about its poor members falling ill or becoming injured on their world tour. At this point, the tour feels more like a survival game than a series of concerts! I hope the girls get the rest they deserve and have been able to enjoy their travels … Continue reading
It’s been a solid year for singles/albums from Johnny’s & Associates. As far as ratings go, I feel like I’ve given a ton of high-8’s but only a couple 9+ raves. Sexy Zone have been the recipients of two of those 9’s. Their Highlight album is aptly-named, giving us the excellent single Forever Gold and … Continue reading
Halfway through their solo Underground Idol series, OnlyOneOf have reunited as a full group for their first original Japanese single. I imagine Zurui Onna as an interlude. Or, maybe it’s just another excuse for the guys to dance around with their shirts off. Whatever the case, it’s an inauspicious move into a market that should … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. August 2022 Overall Thoughts Too often this year, my monthly round-ups have been… kind of a … Continue reading
After nearly two years of singles, Hey! Say! JUMP are back with a new studio album. Filmusic is a varied collection of songs themed around movie genres. Its most successful moments come when the group tries on a hard rap/rock style, though the self-referential Get Out Of My House is also a treat (especially if … Continue reading
The Bias List is a K-pop blog that also covers a fair amount of J-pop. But along with most music fans, I enjoy tracks from all around the world. So, I thought I’d start a monthly round-up of some of the non-K-pop songs that have caught my ear. No ratings — just highlights! Though I’m … Continue reading
Compared to earlier eras, it’s been a dry few years for new music from Kis-My-Ft2. Their latest singles have trended toward balladry – often themes to romance-focused dramas. That’s all well and good (frankly, I’ll take whatever they want to give us), but I’ve been hoping for more upbeat material. After all, age and experience … Continue reading
It just occurred to me that it’s been nearly four (!) years since TVXQ had a proper Korean comeback. Yes, they’ve been active as soloists and have released multiple albums in Japan during this time, but that’s still a long gap for a veteran act with an enormous, enduring fanbase. For now, those of us … Continue reading
At this point on the idol side of the J-pop industry, an entire ecosystem of new groups have emerged, spawned from audition series and heavily indebted to K-pop tropes. K-pop and J-pop have often existed in conversation, with the former borrowing from the latter during many points across the past twenty years. But, K-pop’s ability … Continue reading
Much like Omega X’s Stand Up from earlier this summer, WEi’s new single Maldives reinvents the group as summertime beach boys. I’m not sure why it takes a Japanese release to dabble in this fun, upbeat sound, but I’m glad to hear the guys let down their guard and deliver something fresh and bubbly. Maldives … Continue reading
Late last week, Johnny’s groups SixTONES and Snow Man both surprise-released new music videos on YouTube, fueling rumors they may reunite for another duel-group single. It turns out that Snow Man’s Juicy heralds the release of a new studio album. We’ll need to wait to see where SixTONES’ Party People ends up. Both of these … Continue reading
INI are occupying a very strange place in my own personal fandom. I love the members. I love watching their variety. But apart from this year’s fantastic We Are, their actual music has been pretty disposable so far. I’m not sure if this is a sustainable path, though judging by their out-of-the-gate success in Japan … Continue reading
With retro synth emerging as a dominating trend of the past few years, it’s been interesting to see which groups fit it naturally and which feel shoe-horned in. Exile Tribe’s Fantastics have totally suited the sound – so much that I hardly want them to stray from it! 2020’s High Fever ended up becoming a … Continue reading
It’s been fascinating to watch Johnny’s & Associates navigate the digital world and decide how they want to engage with it. Older fans can remember a not-too-distant time when official YouTube uploads were the stuff of wild dreams. We still get plenty of (frustrating) short music video edits, but more and more the agency is … Continue reading
MNET has their multi-national K-pop formula down to a science. Bring together members from various countries and you have natural inroads for promotion in lucrative markets like Japan. Funnel your acts into agency-sponsored events like KCON and you’ve got a built-in venue with thousands of eager listeners. All K-pop is business, but it’s hard not … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. July 2022 Overall Thoughts Counting up all of July’s releases, I’m not sure we’ve ever had … Continue reading
Back in June, Omega X shifted their sound toward brighter pop for the summer season. Play Dumb didn’t quite get there for me, but I appreciated the move away from the shouty style of their earlier work. It turns out we needed a trip to Japan to see this potential realized in a more satisfying … Continue reading
The Bias List is a K-pop blog that also covers a fair amount of J-pop. But along with most music fans, I enjoy tracks from all around the world. So, I thought I’d start a monthly round-up of some of the non-K-pop songs that have caught my ear. No ratings — just highlights! This is … Continue reading
It’s a testament to how busy K-pop has been over the past few weeks that I’m just now getting around to writing about the new Kis-My-Ft2 single. After all, they’re my favorite J-pop idol group. Earlier in the year, I spent weeks covering every one of their singles on this blog. And just recently, they … Continue reading
One of the nicest things about summer break is having the time to catch up on music from markets I love but don’t always follow with as much discipline as K-pop. Ado’s New Genesis (新時代) may have been released last month, but I’d be remiss not to write about it regardless of how many days … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 